Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh review the guard of honor during the welcoming ceremony in Prague on January 20. (Photo: VGP)

The Czech Prime Minister invited the Vietnamese Prime Minister to step up to the honored position, under the national flags of both countries, with bands playing the national anthems. Then both men reviewed the guard of honor.

PM Chinh’s official visit to the Czech Republic is of great significance, as it takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating 75 years of their diplomatic ties.

This is the first visit to the Czech Republic by the Vietnamese Prime Minister since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is also the first visit by a foreign leader to the European country in the new year 2025.

The two PMs are expected to announce the upgrading of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

The two sides will exchange measures to further deepen bilateral cooperation in areas such as politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, investment, science-technology, innovation, education, culture, sports, tourism, labor, sustainable development, and people-to-people exchanges.